Kim Kardashian Exposes Truth Behind Controversial Elephant Birkin Bag!

Kim Kardashian is no stranger to staging a scene.

The creator of Skims, aged 45, opened up on Wednesday about her involvement with a contentious Hermès Birkin bag crafted from elephant skin that caused a stir in November — she disclosed that the Hermès piece in question was merely a prop.

“When you look at it… the metal parts are actually flipped over… it’s totally a counterfeit,” Kardashian explained during her visit to sister Khloé Kardashian’s podcast, “Khloé in Wonder Land.”

The entrepreneur and reality TV personality faced immediate criticism after being spotted with what seemed to be an exceedingly rare elephant skin Birkin, both on her legal drama “All’s Fair” on Hulu and in candid shots posted by her stylist Soki Mak.

In one particular scene where Kardashian’s character, Allura Grant, donned a gray outfit, the faux Birkin was selected simply because it complemented her look.

“I was in gray and it was a gray one,” she stated simply.

Despite its inauthenticity, Kardashian acknowledged that choosing to feature the bag was a poor decision.

“What really annoyed me about it was the implication that owning an elephant Birkin was acceptable,” she expressed. “Because people weren’t sure if it was real or fake… So even just suggesting that — I wish I had made a smarter, better choice.”

Actress and model Ireland Baldwin, 30, was one of the fiercest critics in November, expressing on Instagram: “This is so disgusting and shameful. How can people support this?”

PETA points out that Hermès never mass-produced elephant leather bags but did create a limited series in the 1980s using leather from an elephant reportedly hunted during a safari. These very rare Birkins can command prices upwards of $125,000 in the secondary market.

“I don’t fault the narrative or the backlash it generated. I honestly don’t,” Kardashian conveyed to Khloé, aged 41.

When questioned about her silence over the two months following the scandal, Kardashian admitted feeling “overwhelmed” by the critique of “All’s Fair” during that period.

“I usually prefer to address things directly and quickly,” she noted, recalling her swift decision to rebrand her shapewear line from Kimono to Skims. “Sometimes I choose not to give it attention because I can’t spend my whole day addressing every issue… it really depends on how I’m feeling.”

One notable figure who reached out in private was Ellen DeGeneres, a close friend of Kim’s and a renowned animal rights advocate.

DeGeneres, who had earlier influenced Kardashian to adopt faux fur, privately inquired about the bag controversy.

“She messaged me saying, ‘Hey, I’ve heard about this elephant Birkin issue — what’s going on?’ Kardashian recalled. “That’s why Ellen’s approach was so effective… she took the time to discuss important things with me.”

The mother of four mentioned that she brought many of her personal Birkins to the set of “All’s Fair” for wardrobe purposes, but the production also acquired additional bags, including the faux elephant version, for various styling needs.

“I brought a lot of my bags as accessories for ‘All’s Fair,’ but we also gathered several others to have on set — ones we could easily grab to match specific outfits,” she explained.

Kardashian boasts a significant collection of Birkin bags. In 2024, she put up a peacock blue Porosus Crocodile Birkin for sale at $49,995 on the family’s Kardashian Kloset resale platform, and in October, she shared a story about how she “turned into a monster” during an argument with her mother, Kris Jenner, over a highly coveted vintage Birkin shoulder bag designed by Jean Paul Gaultier.